NIU’s Board of Trustees approved a differentiating tuition rate increase averaging 11 percent and a $100 surcharge during a special session on May 5 in the Skyroom of the Holmes Student Center.

Chairman Manny Sanchez, who chaired in the meeting via telephone, also instructed President Peters to form a team that will find a way to create some financial reward for faculty and staff.

The board approved a tuition rate increase of nine percent for freshman and sophomores and an 12 percent increase for juniors, seniors and graduate students. "It’s an idea that’s time has come for NIU," Peters said about the differentiating tuition rates.

Peters said the need to charge upper division undergraduate and graduate students more for tuition is because they have more needs than lower division students. He said their schedule consists of smaller classes, more lab resources and other needs that come with upper level classes, therefore, they should carry more financial responsibility.

The program allowing students to receive a lower tuition charge when taking more hours will remain in effect, said Eddie Williams. Based on a 12 credit hour schedule, undergraduate lower-division students will pay $140 more a semester and $186 more a semester for upper-division undergraduate students.

The tuition rate increase will also affect the summer session tuition.

Trustees Barbara Giorgi Vella, Catherine Adduci, Robert Boey and student trustee Jesse Perez joined Sanchez in approving the motion. Trustee Myron Siegel voted "present", therefore abstaining from the vote. Trustees George Moser and Gary Skoien were not available to participate in the vote.

Siegel declined to explain why he didn’t vote for or against the tuition rate increase, only saying that he had explained his views with other board members via e-mail and in face to face conversations.

The board also approved surcharge of $100 per semester per student will begin for the Fall 2003 semester. The surcharge will increase to $250 for fiscal years 2005 through 2008.

Peters said the surcharge will be used to support teaching and learning technology.

Adduci said she supported the surcharge in order to stay competitive and attract the best students. However she asked Peters to "be prudent" when spending the money to upgrade NIU’s technology services.

Perez said he hoped the money for technology improvements will bring about a replacement to the social security number identification system currently in place.

All present trustees approved the surcharge motion.

During the chairman’s comments, Sanchez expressed concern about the morale of the faculty and staff who have had freezes placed on their salaries before instructing Peters to evaluate ways to reward them.

"They shouldn’t have to go through two years without a pay raise," Sanchez said.

What's worse than completely bombing your most important final exam this week?

Forgetting to set your alarm clock to the right time to wake up for that final exam.

Students should beware that if you sleep in or accidentally mix up the time of your exam, your professor most likely will not cut you any slack. Professors are in agreement that if you miss the exam you probably cannot make up the exam.

"If someone misses the exam, they will get a zero," accountancy professor Juilietta Gilbert said.

Emergency situations are the only way that you are going to get to take the exam at another time.

"If it's for legitimate reasons, I have a make-up exam for them," said Eliot Kang, an associate political science professor. "As long as they can provide documentation why they missed, say if their car broke down, I always make a point of giving a make-up."

Using the excuse that your car was having trouble is not always the best excuse to give a professor when you miss your final exam. But, as long as you have documentation that proves you had car troubles, some professors will give a make-up exam. Not all professors will do this though.

Students who have emergency situations also can be excused from an exam, as long as they have proof.

"What happens is, if there is an emergency situation in the family, I'll allow them to make up the exam later in the week," Gilbert said.

Professors are lenient if the student has a family crisis, such as a death in the family.

Students who have a crisis like this can make the exam up later, as long as they show proof, Kang said.

Students also must notify the professor and have documentation if they are too sick to take the exam.

"If someone gets some sickness like mono, I tend to give them an incomplete until they make up the exam, assuming they cannot do it during finals week," Kang said.

It's the night before a final exam, you haven't studied at all and you are panicking.

Several students procrastinate on studying for final exams and find themselves wondering how to handle the situation.

Walter Atkinson, assistant professor of communication, said he recognizes when students procrastinate.

"People study at the last minute and cram and stuff, which I myself was guilty of in school," he said.

He suggests forming a study group and reading over notes to prepare for a final.

Bethia King, associate professor of biology, said she also knows that her students wait until the last minute to study, and this may not affect the grade a student receives, but long-term retention of information is better when a student doesn't cram.

Although she said students should avoid procrastinating, she suggests putting information into a self-questioning format to make best use of time when cramming.

Terrence Bishop, associate professor of management, said the number one ideal way to study is to plan a schedule to budget time in advance and not procrastinate.

He said that just reading notes makes students feel that they are familiar with the test information and they have a false sense of security.

He also suggests self testing to make the best use of time, and he recommends note cards for this.

He added that although stress can be a good motivator, it can also become a problem when taken to extremes.

He suggests taking study breaks to eat something, preferably an energy food like fruit, or taking a short walk to alleviate stress.

He also said students stress when they realize they should have studied earlier.

"A lot of what we stress about is regret," he said. "There is no sense stressing over something we can't change."

Atkinson said stress can cause students to not perform as well on an exam.

"I think that people become so uptight that they over-think stuff," he said. "They need to take a deep breath and relax."

Bishop said students aren't the only ones who are guilty of procrastination.

"I don't know a single soul in the world who jumps on something they have to do the minute they find out they have to do it," he said.

The Board of Trustees is expected to vote on a tuition rate increase of 9 to 18 percent and a technology surcharge during a special meeting today, said Eddie Williams, executive vice president of Finance and Facilities.

NIU also has frozen admissions as of May 1.

Williams said the tuition increase and technology surcharge are necessary to deal with a reduction in funds to NIU in the wake of budget cuts for Illinois public universities.

Western Illinois and Southern Illinois universities increased their tuition 13 and 16 percent, respectively, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a $1,000 surcharge, according to press information from Melanie Magara, assistant vice president of public affairs at NIU.

Williams anticipates the board deciding on the lowest rate possible for tuition increases and surcharge.

"Traditionally, they have kept [it] at the lower end of rate increases," he said.

He pointed to NIU having one of the lowest tuition increases in the state last year as an example of the board's history of low tuition rate increases. He also noted that the board did not increase tuition at mid-year like many other state universities.

The surcharge will be used to upgrade NIU's computer labs, purchase a new student information system and increase access and bandwidth.

Williams said the board will choose a surcharge below $1,000.

"That's a pretty safe bet," he said.

Williams added that the tuition increase and surcharge are part of a larger plan NIU has developed to provide a quality education to students.

To deal with budget cuts, NIU has eliminated 136 jobs and frozen salary increases, stopped all but essential safety-related building repairs, stopped purchasing of new equipment, eliminated all but essential travel and reduced student jobs and graduate assistantships. NIU also has made adjustments to its summer schedule by closing certain buildings and creating a four-day work week.

"It's part of a combined balancing act," Williams said. "And we've still got a lot of work to do."

A waiting list has been created to deal with applications to attend in the fall yet received after the May 1 deadline.

"We've received almost as many applications in March as we normal receive in June and July," Magara said about the need for the waiting list.

The board will meet at 11:15 a.m. in the Skyroom of the Holmes Student Center.

It's another dark and stormy night in the middle of a wasteland full of murders, mystery and one cheap motel that only encourages the carnage.

"Identity" is a gripping horror/mystery movie that will have you laughing at times you shouldn't.

The movie starts off showing a unique family that has a blown tire on the highway.

Then the movie cuts to a scene of an emergency midnight meeting about a prisoner who is going to be executed soon. A diary was found and is vital to proving his case of insanity.

Back to the action, John Cusack plays the limo driver that causes an accident with the family. Being distracted by his passenger, Cusack looks down for a brief moment only to hear the limo hit the mother of the family and throw her over the car.

After the accident, Cusack is the calmest of the bunch.

The father can utter only memorized phrases from safety manuals and the only child in the family, who has just witnessed the accident, is about as emotional as an ice cube. Cusack manages to get them all to the nearest motel.

Throughout the night random guests keep turning up at this dive - all of them having extraordinary reasons for stumbling on the place.

Meanwhile, talks of the prisoner's sanity are slowly but surely becoming more in depth.

Ten rooms fill up, and eventually they dwindle down to the original vacancy as "Identity" claims its victims.

Ray Liotta, who starred in "Goodfellas," plays a convict/cop who is jumpy and quite funny. Liotta makescomments that will have you laughing at very grisly situations.

Amanda Peet throws some spice into the movie by playing a hooker who is trying to clean up her act and go home but can't because she trapped at this hotel.

The flick will keep you wondering how the people dying at the motel and the meeting determining a prisoners insanity are connected.

Seeming simple throughout the first half, "Identity" throws you for a spin in the last act. While never actually giving you the plot, you think you know the answer to the infamous "whodunit?" question. Then the spin is put in and it makes sense.

It's not often when you have a movie that starts being clever and throws in the big plot twist and comes out in flying colors; "Identity" does this well. James Mangold, the director, incorporates the movie's two separate viewpoints cleverly. Mangold keeps you interested while leading you down a dead end and walks you right back to the main road to follow the story.

What you have with "Identity" is a thinker-thriller, meaning it's not the gore and violence that draws you in - though it helps - but it is the plot that keeps you interested.

That's not to downplay all the horror, though. There are realistic looking uses of neck wounds, car accidents and a good stabbing scene. The gore of this movie doesn't kill it, because you're not snickering at how fake the effects look.

"Identity" is one of those movies that leaves you with a creeped-out feeling. This feeling is similar to one you might get when you're sitting by yourself, at night, at a cheap motel - all while listening to the consistent sounds of rain hit an old tin overhang and the never ending buzz of a vending machine.

University Police will lose one of its finest today when Sgt. Albert "Swede" Ekstrom retires.

Ekstrom, a lifelong DeKalb County resident, grew up on a farm near Kingston and graduated from NIU with a degree in education. After working at various jobs, from insurance sales to disc jockey, he began his police career with the UP on April 6, 1978.

Most recently, Ekstrom was a first line supervisor patrol. He said this includes many duties, from overseeing the work of others during his shifts, granting vacations, viewing reports and taking telephone calls.

Ekstrom has seen many changes in his 25 years on the force. Two of the biggest changes are technology and equipment.

"We have computer systems now we never thought were possible," he said.

He gave examples of logs now completed on computers instead of typewriters, computers and cameras in police vehicles and digital cameras used to photograph crime scenes.

Personnel-related changes have occurred since he began as well, Ekstrom said. Uniforms were previously brown, salaries and training have improved and the amount of personnel has increased.

"I guess one would have to say we’re progressing," he said.

Policy changes have taken place too. Ekstrom pointed to officers in residence halls, restrictions on police chases and the late night ride service.

When asked what was the funniest situation he had found himself in during his career, he recounted a practical joke the officers used to play on each other. He said they used to hide one of the other police officer’s vehicles around a corner when a second set of keys was available. The practical jokers would turn on all the emergency lights, so when the officer found his car and started it, all the lights would go on and embarrass him.

Life as a police officer is not all fun and games, however.

"Anytime you’re in a high speed chase, you get a little scared, and the adrenaline flows," Ekstrom said, adding that police chases do not occur as often as they used to because of newer restrictions guiding the qualifications for engaging in a chase.

Ekstrom has dealt with most crimes imaginable in his 25 year career.

"The only crime I probably have not investigated is murder," he said.

Ekstrom said the most common crimes he has seen are property crimes, notably theft.

"We are seeing more violent crimes lately, but that ebbs and flows," he said.

Ekstrom most enjoyed the variety provided by police work and satisfaction in helping people.

"Helping people is great," he said. "It makes you feel good, and police officers are in more of a position to help people than most ... It’s kind of self-rewarding, you don’t have to look for praise."

He said he will miss the camaraderie and job itself the most once he retires.

To those contemplating a job in law enforcement, he offers this advice, "I’d say go for it if you think you like that kind of regiment, that kind of challenge."

As for the future of this civil servant, he would like to travel with his wife and take up home improvement projects like many other retirees, he said.

"I’m going to retake some of my days that perhaps belonged to me in my younger years," he said.

Members of the NIU Students Against Sweatshops marched into the Campus Life Building on Wednesday afternoon to protest Career Planning and Placement's contract with Cintas, a large public uniform company.

Students dressed in black business suits and masks with printed bar codes stomped through the King Memorial Commons into the Campus Life Building lobby. The "corporate zombies," as they called themselves, proceeded to robotically stomp around in a circle while pretending to answer cell phones and look at their watches from time to time.

"We're doing this protest at Mr. Short because it's absolutely his responsibility to end their [CPP] relationship with Cintas," said Zach Lutz, secretary of SAS.

Rosemary Feurer, faculty adviser of SAS, wore a box over her head with a picture of Jean Callary, assistant director of campus recruiting, which included Callary's phone number and job title.

Anthony Sigismondi, a history graduate student, wore a box over his head with a picture of Ron Short, director of CPP, which also included Short's job title and phone number. Feurer and Sigismondi, as well as other members of SAS, wore the boxes and read statements like "Don't be a leader, be a sheep like me. NIU must remain a neutral party. Ethics is not our responsibility." Some of the statements were claimed to be from Callary and Short.

The corporate zombies, Feurer and other members of SAS, walked to the second floor of the Campus Life Building and proceeded to protest in front of the Career Planning and Placement Office. There, the zombies and members of SAS stomped around in continuation of their protest as workers in the building stood outside their offices to look at what was going on.

"Don't be exploited ... exploit others," they chanted.

Members of SAS said they presented Short with a non-renewal letter that called for CPP to sever its contract with Cintas. In the letter, Lutz said SAS provided Short with evidence of the company's unethical practices.

Ron Short stayed in his office for the most part while the protesters marched in front of his office.

"They have a right to do it," Short said of the protesters.

Short has said in a previous interview that Cintas has not been in violation of its agreement and therefore he wouldn't sign the letters from SAS calling for CPP to end its contract with Cintas.

SAS presented evidence of sweatshops and prejudice at Cintas. Despite these claims, the company was named one of the best big companies in the world by Forbes Magazine.

"I've essentially told them that I wasn't gonna [sign]," Short said. "I understand what they [the protesters] are trying to do."

Larry Bolles, director of the NIU Judicial Office, whose office is located on the second floor of the Campus Life Building, came out of his office after he said he received complaints about the protesters from workers in the building. Bolles asked the protesters to step outside to continue their protest.

It's legal if they stand outside of the building; there they wouldn't be disrupting the workplace, Bolles said.

"I hate to see them get arrested but there are rules of time, place and manner," Bolles said. "What they're doing is inappropriate."

University Police were called in, but the protesters didn't leave until Bolles said he would suspend them if they didn't step outside. The protesters then went to the NIU Students' Legal Assistance and Ombudsman offices to get clarification as to what their rights were.

"The free speech area is in the King Commons," Bolles said. "But, I was very lenient. I said they could go outside the building [Campus Life Building] and protest."

University Police Lt. Matt Kiederlen, who was one of the officers at Campus Life Building, said the law states that "when individuals are asked by a university authority to leave an area because they are disrupting or impeding the good function of the university, they do violate the criminal trespass to state supported property."

Bolles and UP wanted arrests to be a last resort.

"Could they be arrested? Yes," Kiederlen said. "Our philosophy is that we would much rather allow them their say in a manner that's both conducive to both the university and the students in lieu of any arrest or enforcement type action."

Bolles said he himself, as well as the university, encourages protesting, but protesters can't walk into a math class or the president's office because there are time, place and manner restrictions.

Earlier this semester, the same protesters stood outside the CPP job fair to protest Cintas' presence at the fair.

Members of SAS said they plan to continue the campaign against Cintas until the end of the semester and if they have to, into next semester.

Cheaters, fighters, abusers and drunks parade in and out of this office every year, and we are not talking about Jerry Springer's booking agency.

Larry Bolles, director of the University Judicial Office, released his department's yearly statistics this week, showing an increase of 127 cases this school year, from 1,043 in the 2001-2002 year to 1,170 as of April 29. Bolles said it was the normal mix of offenses this year, mainly alcohol violations, fighting, excessive noise and academic misconduct.

Alcohol violations traditionally are high in number, and this year was a typical year. After 179 different alcohol-related offenses this fall alone, as compared to 144 in fall 2001, the number dropped to 134 this semester. Of that 179, 105 of the cases were for underage possession. This number dropped dramatically in the second semester to 55, which was far less than the 71 cases in spring 2002.

There typically are more judicial cases in the fall semester than in spring, most likely because students are adjusting, or, in the case of returning students, readjusting to the rules, Bolles said.

Reports of academic misconduct decreased 41 percent from 152 to 90 this school year. Academic misconduct are mainly cases of students being caught cheating in their classes, Bolles said.

"Please read your course syllabus," Bolles said, stressing that this is especially important for students whose course requires a lot of group work or a for a student who is repeating a course.

Many instructors require unique and original work for each course they teach, and consequences are more than just a bad grade on a paper or project, he said.

Fighting is something that has become a problem more recently for Bolles' office. Fights are classified into two categories in the judicial office: physical abuse, which involves two people, and brawling, which involves more than two people. Although the number of cases involving fighting has decreased since last school year, the people involved in the altercations is what worries Bolles.

An increasing number of females are the ones involved in the majority of physical disputes here on campus, Bolles said.

"Moreso or not, it's two or more women involved in a physical brawl," he said, adding there are not a lot of fights involving two males. When it is men involved, Bolles said, it has typically been athletes fighting with non-athletes.

This is a problem that needs to be addressed, Bolles said. We need to makes sure the fighting does not continue.